


Coming Home

by Creep



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 12:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16017857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creep/pseuds/Creep
Summary: Ed had been absentmindedly been drawing random patterns on the fog of the window. And now when he looked at it, he realised he had drawn Mustang’s alchemy symbol. He really was fucked, wasn’t he?





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> it's been so long since i've actually finished something so i'm quite happy with this, even though it's probably full of mistakes etc. oh well!

The train ride to Resembool was quiet. It was the middle of the night and there weren’t that many passengers besides the two brothers sitting across each other. It was the first time in a while for them to just be able to sit down and be quiet. Ed hadn’t exactly had the time to think about what had happened on the course of the last few weeks. And now, there they were, on their way to Resembool and Al was sitting there, flesh and bones and blood coursing through his veins. He was looking at Ed with his blue eyes, smiling, just like he had been ever since he had finally gotten his body back.  
  
Just like his brother, Ed finally felt like he could _breathe_ as well. It had been such a long road and they were finally there. No matter what Al had been saying all that time, Ed still couldn’t leave the thought that it had been all his fault. Without him, they wouldn’t have tried to bring Mom back. Without him, Al wouldn’t have lost his body. But none of that mattered now, they were there, they were alive.  
  
Between the celebrating with their friends and just trying to wrap his head around the whole thing, Ed hadn’t really had that much time to think about ’now what?’ But there, as the train lulled on, the steady sound of the tracks, Al across to him, apparently dozing off… there was time.  
  
It felt weird, almost absurd that for the first time in a long time Ed didn’t have the one goal to go towards to. And that one goal had defined his whole life, had occupied his thoughts and everything for so long… he suddenly felt a bit lost. He was so grateful that Al had his body back and could finally live his life, _normal_ life but Ed had thought about Al and Al’s life for so much and for so long that he hadn’t had the time to think about himself. They had some kind of a plan though, they would spend some time in Resembool, Al would finally taste Winry’s apple pie, Ed would get his automails readjusted and then they would travel to Xing to study alkahestry.  
  
About his military contract… Ed wasn’t so sure. He had always sworn he would resign as soon as possible but now he wasn’t so sure. He had been thinking about what Maes Hughes had said to him a long time ago, that he would be great in Investigations. And he did earn a lot of money and he wanted Al to be able to go to University…  
  
When he thought about the military, his thoughts drifted to people there, especially towards to his commanding officer, which had been happening a lot ever since that time… that time, the day when they got Al’s body back and they all celebrated, Ed had gotten drunk, but just slightly, so that he was happy and languid. Mustang hadn’t been more drunk than he was and they had been talking and Mustang had brushed a loosen stray of hair away from Ed’s face and then – they had been kissing. And kissing more and more, until Mustang had said with a breathy voice: “Want to come back to my place?”  
  
And Ed had nodded and they had sneaked off without saying goodbye to anyone, without Ed saying anything to Al. And there, on Mustang’s apartment, on his bed, hands roaming on each other’s bodies, wet messy kisses, Ed crying out when he lost his virginity to Mustang. He had left in the morning without waking up Mustang. Because come on, they had been drunk, it had just been a hook up. And it had obviously been the right thing to do because when he saw Mustang the next time, he acted as if nothing had ever happened between them, as if he didn’t know exactly how Ed tasted. So obviously Mustang had thought so too, that it was just a one-time thing and that shouldn’t have happened and would never happen again.  
  
That didn’t stop Ed from fantasizing about it happening, about it being more than just a hook up. Ed sighed. He couldn’t believe it but he missed the bastard. He missed the warm, steady hands on his skin, how he hadn’t flinched at the automail (even kissing the metal thigh, which made Ed swallow a lump in his throat) the way he had kissed, the way he had ran his fingers through Ed’s hair… While thinking of all those things, Ed had been absentmindedly been drawing random patterns on the fog of the window. And now when he looked at it, he realised he had drawn Mustang’s alchemy symbol. He really was fucked, wasn’t he?  
  
Ed looked at the symbol for a while and turned his face away to see his little brother staring at him with a blank look on his face. Shit, shit, _shit_. Ed hadn’t exactly told Al what had happened between him and Mustang. Al had of course been very curious when Ed had been gone for the whole night, to show up in the morning his hair a mess, faded bruises on his neck, his clothes wrinkled. Somehow Ed had managed to avoid answering his questions, turning his attention into something else. But Al was very bright, a bit too bright for his own good, so Ed was pretty sure his brother had been onto him at least partly. And now, Ed, being the fucking dumbass he was, had been doodling Mustang’s symbol on the window. Great.  
  
”I thought you might have a thing with someone but I gotta say, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that person would be the General. Though now that I think about it, it makes sense…”  
”Al…”  
  
Ed tried to say something, _anything_ , but there were no words coming out. He knew there was a lot of people assuming Ed would end up with Winry, would marry her and have kids with her. Al had been teasing Ed about it since forever. Probably because he was hoping it would happen. And if Ed hated something, it was letting his little brother down. He had done that way too many times.  
  
”I didn’t mean it in a bad way! It’s totally fine! If he makes you happy!”  
  
Al had apparently seen the change in Ed’s mood and Ed was grateful for Al’s reaction because it felt like he could breathe. He hated keeping secrets from his brother and he hadn’t even realised how much keeping the thing with Mustang from Al had been eating him apart, how he had been wondering if Al could accept it, accept _him_. Which was stupid because it was _Al_ , his brother, the most accepting and understanding person in the world. And he only wanted Ed to be happy. But even though Ed had known the fear made no sense, it had always been there, lingering at the back of his mind.  
  
Before Ed could say anything, Al already continued: ”But if you’re thinking about him that much,” he said, nodding towards the window, making Ed blush, ”then why are you here going to Resembool and not to him?”  
”Because that’s the plan, right? We go to Resembool, Winry makes apple pie, we eat it, she screams at me for messing up my automail agan, we go to Xing to find out more about alkhestry.”  
The smile Al offered to him was uneasy. ”Uh, yeah, about that… I think I wanna stay at Resembool for a bit longer than just a quick visit.”  
Ed stared at Al, blinking. It was the first time he was hearing about it. ”Oh? Sure, we can do that.”  
” _I_ can. You? You’d be bored out of your mind in a week. And what about the General?”  
  
Ed swallowed. Al was right, he loved his hometown but staying there with nothing to do would drive him crazy. But going back to Mustang? When they had only had sex once, that’s all. Ed had never been the kind of person who would settle for less, he wanted nothing or everything. And he really doubted Mustang would want _everything_ with him.  
  
”It’s… not that simple,” Ed muttered.  
”How come?”  
”I don’t wanna talk about it.”  
  
He really, _really_ didn’t want to talk about the difference between hooking up and settling down with anyone, especially not with his brother. Al sighed.  
”Alright. But I do think you should go and talk to him.”  
Ed muttered something incomprehensible as an answer and they fell silent. For the rest of the ride, Ed kept thinking about it.  
  
***  
  
After three days in Resembool, Ed was still thinking about it, thinking about _him_. Winry had been working on a brand new arm for him even before they had arrived and according to her, it would be ready soon. She had also made them apple pie the first day they had arrived and Al had actually cried a bit because of how good it was. Though Ed had a feeling Al would’ve reacted like that even if the pie had tasted like cement. He hadn’t missed the way Al had blushed when Winry had given him a long hug and how he was stealing glances at her, offering to help her with pretty much anything, stuttering at how pretty she looked when she asked them what they thought about her new dress. Winry was either blind or dense as fuck if she didn’t notice that Al was head over heels for her.  
  
Ed stepped outside and smiled at the sight of Al playing with Den on the frontyard. His brother noticed him and sat down next to Ed on the porch, breathing hard after running around with Den. Ed petted Den, who was panting as well.  
  
”What’s up, brother?”  
”Nothing much, just wondering…”  
”Oh? About?”  
”You know how you said I should talk to Mustang?”  
”Yeah?”  
”Yeah… so when are you gonna talk to Winry?”  
  
Al stared at him for a while, looking a bit confused and then he blushed furiously.  
”What? I talk to Winry all the time, just before we were talking about how she might move to Rush Valley and –”  
”I _meant_ talk to her about how you’re frigging crazy about her,” Ed interrupted his babbling brother. Al fell silent, then sighed.  
”It’s not that I don’t want to…”  
”What is it then?” Ed asked, furrowing his brows. Al sighed even deeper.  
”Come on, brother… you know she still has feelings for you, she always has.”  
  
At that, it was Ed’s turn to fall silent. Once upon a time, a long time ago, Ed had felt the same way for Winry. Or thought he had, at least. But now she was more like a sister to him and even if she wasn’t, they would be awful together. As he had grown over for the feelings for Winry, he had assumed she had done the same. He hoped she had because he was sick and tired of making her cry. And he couldn’t get goddamn Mustang out of his head.  
  
”I guess I should talk to her too.” Al glanced at him.  
” _Too_? So you mean you are gonna go talk to the General?”  
”Maybe. I guess… yeah, I am.” Al smiled.  
”Good.”   
  
***  
  
When Ed was looking at the brand new automail that was attached to him, he knew it was time to leave. He didn’t want to prolong it anymore, he wanted to go back to Central to finally figure out what was going on in Mustang’s head. But first… Ed glanced at Winry, who was sitting on her table, already working on someone else’s automail.  
  
”Win?”  
”Yeah?” She didn’t even turn around to look at him, too preoccupied by her work.  
”I’m gonna head back to Central. Tonight.” At that, she turned around to look at him.  
”What? But you just came! And it’s not like you’re busy running around the country on military business anymore, right?”  
”No, I just… I have to talk with Mustang.”  
”Oh? You’re gonna resign?”  
”No, uh… it’s personal.” Ed took a deep breath and forced himself to look Winry in the eyes. ”I have feelings for him.”  
  
It was the first time Ed had said it aloud and it sort of felt like a huge weight had dropped from his chest. 

”Oh…” Winry sat down, turning away from him.  
”Win, I’m sorry…” Winry rubbed her eyes.  
”For what, you dumbass? I guess I knew already…”  
”What? You did?”  
”Yeah. When Al got his body back and he hugged you… the way you looked at him, it was obvious, I just didn’t want to see it because I guess I thought –”  
  
Winry paused and fell silent. _Thought you and I would end up together, just like everyone had always thought_ , Ed finished her sentence in his head.  
”I know… I’m… I’m still sorry.”  
”I told you, don’t be! We would’ve been terrible together anyways,” Winry laughed, or rather, forced herself to laugh.  
”Yeah, we would’ve.” They were quiet for a while and then Winry glanced at him.  
”Does he… does he feel the same way?”  
”I don’t know,” Ed said.  
”Well. If he hurts you, I’ll hit him with my wrench.” Ed laughed.  
”Thanks, Win.”  
”You’re welcome! I’m just kinda sad you guys are going back already…”  
”Oh no, just me! Al’s staying.”  
”Really? Oh, that’s fine then! We don’t need you anyways.”  
”Gee, thanks!”  
  
Ed was glad they had had that conversation. And Winry hadn’t even cried so he had a feeling they would be alright.  
  
***  
  
It was already pretty late when Ed found himself standing in front of Mustang’s door. Probably _too_ late for some people but Ed had never been very good at following ’the social norms’. Besides, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to get a wink of sleep if he decided to come back in the morning. And he didn’t want to push it back anymore, he needed to know what was going on between them, if there even was anything.  
  
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. His heart beat like crazy and he did his best to fight the urge to just run away and forget about the whole thing. Shit, Ed had been so focused on wanting to talk to the bastard that he hadn’t even thought about what he would say. Ed’s panicking was interrupted when Mustang opened the door and there he was, and oh fuck, Ed still wasn’t used to seeing him in civilian clothes, and who the fuck wore a button up shirt and trousers at their home, that time of night… unless he had a date over, oh god, that hadn’t even crossed Ed’s mind, it was a Saturday night, why _wouldn’t_ Mustang have a date over…  
  
”Edward? What – what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at Resembool? Is Alphonse alright?”  
Ed’s inner panic eased up at Mustang’s worry about Al. That stupid asshole, Ed was so into him.  
”No, he’s totally fine. I just, uh wanted to come over earlier.”  
  
Mustang just looked at him with those dark eyes of his and suddenly Ed felt all naked. ”Well then. I suppose I should ask you to come in.”  
”I suppose that would be the nice thing to do since it’s pretty cold out here,” Ed said and cursed himself and the bite in his tone.  
  
Mustang stepped aside from the door and with his hand he signaled Ed to come in. Ed did and Mustang closed the door behind him. ”Would you like a glass of wine perhaps?” Stupid, stupid bastard, being so formal and polite, like they hadn’t been teasing and making fun of each other just a few weeks back at the party at Hughes’.  
”Uh, sure,” Ed said because he had a feeling he needed something to do with his hands and holding a glass of wine was better than nothing.  
”Alright. Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back.”  
  
Mustang disappeared into his kitchen and Ed walked through the hallway to the living room. He looked around, noticed a glass of wine on a small table next to a comfy-looking arm chair. Next to the glass there was a book. Oh, so apparently Mustang had been just having a quiet night in by himself. Though he probably wouldn’t have invited Ed in if he had a date over… Mustang came back and handed Ed a glass half full of red wine, their fingers brushed and Ed nearly jumped, pulling his hand away quickly.  
  
”So… what brings you here this time of night?”  
Straight to the point… good. ”I’ve just been wondering… your career is really important to you, and I’m sure you know you could get court martialed from fraternization, so… why risk it all for just a lousy fuck? Especially when you can get better fucks anywhere you wanted. So, my point is - why did you fuck me?”  
  
Mustang stared at him for a while and Ed hated that he couldn’t read anything but a bit of astonishment from those dark eyes.  
”I could ask you the same thing. I’m 14 years older than you and your co who you claim to have hated all these years you’ve been working under me.”  
  
For a while, Ed just stood there, not knowing what to say. But then he felt anger. ”No, fuck that! I asked you first. And I’m _not_ the one risking a career I’ve worked so much for and now that Al has his body back, I don’t give a fuck if I can be a military dog or not. The only reason I joined was Al and now I don’t really have a reason to stay enlisted. I didn’t take a risk, but you did. So just give me a fucking answer, you shit.”  
  
The silence following by Ed’s outburst seemed to hum in Ed’s ears. Mustang sighed.  
”Very well. You are right. If I had been looking for a one-night stand, or as you so eloquently put it, _a lousy fuck_ , I could’ve gotten one without risking my career. What I wanted was… you.”  
“Oh.”  
  
Ed had expected a lot of shitty explaining and bullshit so he was taken back when Mustang just spat it out just like that. And Ed had been so sure Mustang would only laugh at him, for thinking it could’ve been more than just about him getting laid. Because, how could it be? Mustang might be an asshole but Ed knew that deep down, he was a really good person, always cared a lot for the people close to him and hell – he was on his way to make Amestris better. Also, he was fucking gorgeous and could get anyone and Ed was just a freak with automail leg and arm.  
  
“So… you came back from Resembool after 3 days just to ask me if whatever we had was just about sex.”  
“If not, then what was it about?”  
  
The room was bursting with tension, they both just stood there staring at each other.  
“It could never be just about sex with you, Edward.”  
  
It felt good to actually hear the bastard say that but couldn’t he just specify and let Ed out of his misery? It was so frustrating.  
“Look, I don’t know about you but I have feelings for you, you fuck. And this might come as a surprise to you, but I don’t actually half-ass anything. So if you just wanna be fuckbuddies with me, then tell me so I can just move on, because I know it wouldn’t be enough for me.”  
  
Ed stared at the wine in his glass, not able to look at Mustang in those dark, unreadable eyes. So, he hadn’t exactly thought it through. If Mustang would turn him down, it was pretty late to go stay at the Hughes' house. And it would be too awkward to stay there with Mustang after that. Shit, Ed really needed to learn to think before he just went and did stuff…  
  
“I told you, didn’t I? It could never be just about sex with you because I am utterly enamored by you, Edward. I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who is as ravishing and beautiful as you are. And I’ve accepted quite some time ago that you occupy almost every thought I have. Also, I am well aware that if I was to start something real and meaningful with you, it would be a risk for my career. But to be honest, I’d rather be court marshaled today than spend the rest of my life wondering what could’ve been.”  
  
Ed swallowed, blush creeping up his face the more Mustang spoke. And looking into his eyes, he finally saw emotion in them, he saw the warmth in them and knew that even though the man had bullshitted Ed for as long as he had known him, about this Mustang definitely wasn’t bullshitting.  
  
Mustang stepped closer to him, into his personal space, brushing a warm hand over Ed’s cheek, looking at him with a question in his eyes. Ed, as if to reply, leaned in closer to the touch and breathed in when Mustang brushed his hair away from his face and leaned down so that their foreheads were pressed against each other. Ed’s heartbeat calmed down, he closed his eyes, just focusing on the closeness, breathing in Mustang’s scent and he couldn’t even be bothered that for the first time in a long time he felt like he had came home.  
  
“Now what?” Ed finally asked, his voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper. Mustang smiled down at him.  
“Now…” He stepped away from Ed and he could barely resist the wince that almost escaped his lips. Ed watched as the man walked to the window, closing the curtains.  
“Now, as your always reliable co, I’m offering you a place to stay. Now, you can quit the military, if you wish and do whatever you want. And whatever it is that you choose to do, I’m sure you will be brilliant at it. And that people will talk about you and your work, not as Fullmetal alchemist, but as Edward Elric.”  
Mustang walked back to him, taking his head between his hands. “Now? This, I’d hope.”  
  
And then he leaned down to kiss Ed, who kissed him back, smiling against his lips.


End file.
